Knitting machine pattern wheel

ABSTRACT

A pattern wheel for use in a knitting machine. A wheel portion of the pattern wheel is molded from plastic and is formed with peripheral teeth, each of which has a disposition similar to that of a helical gear tooth. A metal jack plate is mounted on each side of the wheel portion. The jack plates each have jacks which extend between the teeth of the wheel portion. The peripheral teeth of the wheel portion are beveled adjacent the lower face of the wheel portion. The jacks of the jack plates are rectangular in cross-section and the outer end portions of the jacks are twisted to the same angle relative to the face of the jack plate is that formed by the peripheral teeth on the wheel portion. The teeth of the wheel portion are tapered from the upper face to the lower face, and the rim is stepped to a smaller diameter adjacent the lower face of the wheel portion.

United States Patent 191 Press Dec. 31, 1974 KNITTING MACHINE PATTERN WHEEL [75] Inventor: John E. Press, Park Ridge, 111.

[73] Assignee: Harig Precision, Inc., Elgin, 111.

[22] Filed: Sept. 10, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 395,829

[52] U.S. C1 66/50 A [51] Int. Cl D041) 15/76 [58] Field of Search 66/50 A, 25, 40, 156

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,055,598 9/1936 Agulnek 66/50 A 2,140,078 12/1938 Horrocks et a1 66/50 A 3,077,756 2/1963 Widdowson 66/50 A 3,099,145 7/1963 Garrou et al... 66/156 UX 3,643,470 2/1972 Pernick 66/50 A FORElGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 706,100 3/1954 Great Britain 66/50 A 799,965 8/1954 Great Britain..... 1,144,526 3/1969 Great Britain 66/50 A Primary Examiner-Wm. Carter Reynolds 5 7 ABSTRACT A pattern wheel for use in a knitting machine. A wheel portion of the pattern wheel is molded from plastic and is formed with peripheral teeth, each of which has a disposition similar to that of a helical gear tooth. A metal jack plate is mounted on each side of the wheel portion. The jack plates each have jacks which extend between the teeth of the wheel portion. The peripheral teeth of the wheel portion are beveled adjacent the lower face of the wheel portion. The jacks of the jack plates are rectangular in cross-section and the outer end portions of the jacks are twisted to the same angle relative to the face of the jack plate is that formed by the peripheral teeth on the wheel portion. The teeth of the wheel portion are tapered from the upper face to the lower face, and the rim is stepped to a smaller diameter adjacent the lower face of the wheel portion.

4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures l KNITTING MACHINE PATTERN WHEEL SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention is directed to a pattern wheel of the type used in knitting machines and more particularly to a pattern wheel having a plastic wheel portion and metal jack plates on opposite sides thereof.

An object of this invention is a pattern wheel having teeth which will yield rather than damage the knitting machine cylinder and needles if the pattern wheel is improperly set up.

Another object is a pattern wheel in which the jacks are formed as an integral part of the jack plate.

Another object is a pattern wheel in which the teeth of the wheel portion each have a disposition similar to the disposition of a helical gear tooth, and the jacks of the jack plates are twisted to the same position relative to the face of the pattern wheel as are the teeth of the wheel portion.

Another object is a pattern wheel having teeth which are tapered from one side to the opposite side of the wheel portion.

Another object is a pattern wheel having jack plates with jacks that may be broken off to vary the operation of the pattern wheel.

Another object is a pattern wheel in which the broken off jacks of the jack plate help support the plastic teeth of the wheel portion.

Other objects may be found in the following specification, claims and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in the following drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the pattern wheel assembly;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial view of the peripheral edge as viewed along line3--3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a series of teeth and their relation to a conventional series of needle butts;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial side elevational view of the jacks of the jack plate; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged partial top plan view of the jack plate jacks.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The pattern wheel assembly 11 of this invention includes a wheel portion or wheel disc 13 and jack plates 15 and 17 which may be identical in initial construction, but are indicated by separate numbers for ease of identification. The wheel portion is preferably molded of a suitable plastic such as a nylon sold under the trade name NYLATRON GS." The jack plates 15 and 17 are formed of cold rolled steel which is hardened and drawn.

The wheel portion 13 is molded in one piece and includes a hub 21 and a rim 23 connected by annular wall 25. Formed integrally on the rim 23 are teeth 27. The teeth extend at a generally helical angle of approximately 35 relative to the wheel portion 13, and are tapered in thickness from the hub side to the opposite side of the wheel portion. The taper may be on the order of about fz l on each side of a tooth, but is exaggerated in FIG. 3 for clarity of illustration.

The generally helical configuration of each tooth is also indicated in FIG. 4, and again, like the taper, exaggerated for clarity of illustration.

The generally helical disposition of the teeth is illustrated best in the schematic illustration of FIG. 4, wherein a plurality of teeth and their relation to a series of needle butts 28 have been shown for clarity of illustration. As those skilled in the art can appreciate, the generally helical arrangement of the teeth ensures noninterference between the butt of a needle and the sides of the tooth during use, and thereby the imposition of undesirable side thrust forces on the teeth.

Referring again to FIG. 2, it will be noted that the teeth project cantileverly at 29 on the hub side of the wheel. On the opposite side of the wheel the teeth are beveled at 31.

The rim 23 is steped at 33 to a smaller diameter adjacent the beveled edges of the teeth. The beveled edges of the teeth also project cantileverly slightly beyond the wheel portion 13.

The annular wall 25 of the wheel portion 13 is provided with an annular projection 35 on the hub side thereof, and a corresponding annular groove 37 on the opposite side. Bolt holes 39 extend through the annular projection and. groove.

Jack plate 15 is located on the hub side of the wheel portion 13, and jack plate 17 is located on the other side of. the wheel portion. The jack plates are held to the wheel portion 13 by means of bolts 43 and nuts 45, with the bolts passing through the openings 39 in the wheel portion and openings 47 in the jack plates. As previously mentioned, jack plates 15 and 17 are identical in initial construction. Each jack plate is annular in shape with the outer portion 49 thereof offset laterally relative to the inner portion 50. Jacks 51 are integrally formed in the outer portion 49 of the jack plates, and are rectangular in cross-section. The outer ends 53 of the jacks are twisted starting at a plane 55 to an angle of 35 relative to the jack plate so as to fit in alignment with the spaces between the teeth 27 of the wheel portion 23 in the manner shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings. The jacks may be broken off at notches 57 formed in opposite faces of the jacks. It should be noted that the notches are located radially outwardly of the twist point 55, so that the remaining base or stump portion 59 of the jack is twisted at its outer or free end so that it is in alignment with the spaces between the teeth 27. Thus, the stump portion 59 of a jack plate jack 51 from which the outermost extremity 53 has been removed overlaps the rearward most portion of two flanking wheel disc teeth 27 to thereby provide support to said wheel disc teeth.

The use, operation and function of this invention are as follows:

The pattern wheel 11 of this invention is assembled with a jack plate 15 mounted on the hub side 21 of the wheel portion 13 and the jack plate 17 mounted on the opposite side thereof. The jack plates are fastened to the wheel portion 13 by means of the bolts and nuts 43 and 45 which pass through openings 39 in the wheel portion and 47 in the jack plates.

When the jack plates are fastened to the wheel portion 13 in the manner shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the jacks 51 of the jack plates and more particularly the twisted outer end portions 53 of the jacks fit between the cantileverly projecting portions 29 and 31 of the teeth 27 of the wheel portion. Since the outer end portions 53 of the jacks 51 are twisted to the same position as that of the teeth 27 of the wheel portion 13, the jacks 51 of the jack plates align with the openings between the teeth of the wheel portion, and engage the side walls of the teeth to give additional support to the wheel portion teeth 27.

In the pattern wheel assembly shown in the drawings, the jack plate acts as the high jack plate and the jack plate 1.7 functions as the low jack plate. If, in a particular slot between the wheel portion 27, it is desired to raise the knitting needle to the knit or latch-clearing position, the respective jacks 51 of jack plate 15 will remain in position. Therefore, the jack 51 of the upper jack plate in this instance will act as a high jack.

If it is desired to raise a needle to the tuck position, the jack 51 of the high jack'plate 15 is removed, but the corresponding jack of the lower jack plate 17 remains in place. Then, the jack of the lower jack plate acts as a lower jack.

if it is desired that the needle move to the welt position, both corresponding jacks of the high jack plate 15 and low jack plate 17 are removed.

It is not necessary to use both high and low jack plates. Either plate may be used alone, or they may be used together.

Binding between the needle butts 28 and the teeth 27 is avoided, even in the welt position, by the generally helical disposition of the teeth and their taper, as shown best in H6. 4. Thus, in the brief increment of time in which a needle butt 28 is present in the opening between adjacent teeth 27, there may be a relative horizontal displacement of the needle butt 28 with respect to the adjacent teeth 27 due to the rotation of the moving parts as indicated by the arrows. Interference between a needle butt 28 and the adjacent teeth 27 is avoided, however, by the generally helical disposition of each tooth 27, which, in practical effect, keeps the open span between adjacent teeth in better alignment with the needle butt, and thereby the increment of time in which the needle butt may be present between adjacent teeth without binding.

ln further amplification of the generally helical disposition of the teeth 27, that is the generally helical gear tooth-like configuration of the teeth 27, reference is made to the distances represented by the pairs of arrows which define distance A and distance B in FIG. 4. Specifically, A is less than distance B because of the different helix angles by which the base junction edge and the peripheral edge of the tooth are generated, the

differing helix angles being due to maintaining the same Y lead, or turns per inch, for each surface when generated about a common center, such as the axis of wheel The jacks may easily be removed by breaking them off at the notches 57. The remaining stump portion 59 of each jack overlaps their rearwardmost portion of flanking wheel portion teeth 27 and is available to engage the flanking teeth 27 to provide support for them, but is sufficiently short to provide clearance for the needle butt to move through the slot between the teeth. It should also be noted that the teeth 27 are tapered from the high jack side of the wheel to the low jack side to give a free action against the needle butts. Thus referring to FIG. 4 and assuming that the assembly is tilted to a position in which needle butts 28 lie horizontally, it will be noted that the sides of the wheel disc teeth 27 taper slightly inwardly in a downward direction. The plastic teeth 27 of the wheel portion 23 will yield rather than damage the knitting machine cylinders and needles if the wheel is improperly set.

Whereas, the preferred form of the invention has been described and shown, it should be understood that there are modifications, alterations and changes which may be made without departing from the teachings of the invention. Therefore, the scope of the invention should be only limited by the claims attached hereto.

1 claim:

1. In a pattern wheel for use in a knitting machine,

the combination of a wheel disc having integral peripheral teeth formed thereon,

each peripheral wheel disc tooth being disposed at a generally helical angle with respect to the wheel disc and having a configuration generally conforming to the configuration of a helical gear tooth,

said wheel disc being made from a material having the characteristic, with respect to yieldability, of plastic to thereby accommodate misalignment between the pattern wheel and a knitting needle,

a metal jack plate mounted on one side of said wheel disc in flush engagement therewith over at least a portion of its overlapping area,

said metal jack plate having a plurality of jacks thereon disposed between the wheel disc teeth,

each jack plate jack being intetrally formed with the jack plate,

at least that radial portion of each integrally formed jack plate jack which radially overlaps an adjacent wheel disc tooth being angularly disposed so as to closely interfit with flanking wheel disc teeth, and

means for releasably fastening the jack plate to the wheel disc,

each of said jack plate jacks being severable at an area of weakness located radially inwardly from its extremity a distance sufficient to provide clearance for the butt of a knitting needle.

2. In a pattern wheel for use in a knitting machine,

the combination of a wheel disc having peripheral teeth formed thereon and disposed at a generally helical angle,

said wheel disc being made from a material having the characteristic, with respect to yieldability, of plastic to thereby accommodate misalignment between the pattern wheel and a knitting needle,

a metal jack plate mounted on one side of said wheel disc,

said metal jack plate having a plurality of jacks thereon disposed between the wheel disc teeth,

said jack plate jacks being integrally formed with the jack plate, I

at least that radial portion of each integrally formed jack plate jack which radially overlies an adjacent wheel disc tooth being angularly disposed so as to closely interfit with flanking wheel disc teeth, and

means for releasably fastening the jack plate to the wheel disc,

each of said jack plate jacks being severable at an area of weakness located radially inwardly from its extremity a distance sufficient to provide clearance for the butt of a knitting needle,

the stump portion of a jack plate jack from which the outermost extremity has been removed overlapping the rearwardmost portion of two flanking a second jack plate,

said second jack plate having a plurality of jacks thereon which are counterparts to the jacks of said first mentioned jack plate,

said second jack plate being releasably fastened to said wheel disc. 

1. In a pattern wheel for use in a knitting machine, the combination of a wheel disc having integral peRipheral teeth formed thereon, each peripheral wheel disc tooth being disposed at a generally helical angle with respect to the wheel disc and having a configuration generally conforming to the configuration of a helical gear tooth, said wheel disc being made from a material having the characteristic, with respect to yieldability, of plastic to thereby accommodate misalignment between the pattern wheel and a knitting needle, a metal jack plate mounted on one side of said wheel disc in flush engagement therewith over at least a portion of its overlapping area, said metal jack plate having a plurality of jacks thereon disposed between the wheel disc teeth, each jack plate jack being intetrally formed with the jack plate, at least that radial portion of each integrally formed jack plate jack which radially overlaps an adjacent wheel disc tooth being angularly disposed so as to closely interfit with flanking wheel disc teeth, and means for releasably fastening the jack plate to the wheel disc, each of said jack plate jacks being severable at an area of weakness located radially inwardly from its extremity a distance sufficient to provide clearance for the butt of a knitting needle.
 2. In a pattern wheel for use in a knitting machine, the combination of a wheel disc having peripheral teeth formed thereon and disposed at a generally helical angle, said wheel disc being made from a material having the characteristic, with respect to yieldability, of plastic to thereby accommodate misalignment between the pattern wheel and a knitting needle, a metal jack plate mounted on one side of said wheel disc, said metal jack plate having a plurality of jacks thereon disposed between the wheel disc teeth, said jack plate jacks being integrally formed with the jack plate, at least that radial portion of each integrally formed jack plate jack which radially overlies an adjacent wheel disc tooth being angularly disposed so as to closely interfit with flanking wheel disc teeth, and means for releasably fastening the jack plate to the wheel disc, each of said jack plate jacks being severable at an area of weakness located radially inwardly from its extremity a distance sufficient to provide clearance for the butt of a knitting needle, the stump portion of a jack plate jack from which the outermost extremity has been removed overlapping the rearwardmost portion of two flanking wheel disc teeth to thereby provide support to said wheel disc teeth.
 3. The combination of claim 2 further characterized in that the sides of the wheel disc teeth, when said teeth are vertically aligned, tapering slightly inwardly in a downward direction.
 4. The combination of claim 2 further including a second jack plate, said second jack plate having a plurality of jacks thereon which are counterparts to the jacks of said first mentioned jack plate, said second jack plate being releasably fastened to said wheel disc. 